In re T.L.H.

Respondent voluntarily placed her newborn son with the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) based upon her concerns about the safety of her home. DHHS later filed a petition seeking to have Respondent’s parental rights terminated. After a hearing, the trial court terminated Respondent’s parental rights in her son. The court of appeals reversed the trial court’s termination order, concluding that the trial court had abused its discretion by failing to conduct an inquiry into whether Respondent was entitled to the appointment of a parental guardian ad litem given that the information available to the trial court raised a substantial question concerning Respondent’s competence. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by failing to conduct an inquiry into Respondent’s competence before proceeding with the termination hearing. View "In re T.L.H." on Justia Law